Buffalo Dream Center remains homeless

A mobile food pantry service in Buffalo is still without a facility. The Buffalo Dream Center lost their donated 6,000 sq. ft. space inside the Larkin Center of Commerce several months ago to new tenants.

The organization has continued its operations temporarily at a warehouse on Seneca Street and at the Buffalo Christian Center, but they will have to vacate the spaces within a month. The Dream Center provides food, furniture and other household items to hundreds of impoverished families in the city each month.

Pastor Eric Johns standing with Buffalo Dream Center volunteers

Credit Ashley Hirtzel / WBFO

Pastor Eric Johns says now they’re looking for a larger donated workspace or a place with low-cost rent and utilities.

“One of the biggest problems for us is that we’re dealing with food and so we have to be inspected by the New York State Health Department. So, we have to have a space that isn’t damp. There’s different things that when you’re storing with food and giving it away that have to be conducive to that," said Johns.

"We need a good, clean space. We’re not saying that we can’t pay for anything, but we are looking for someone to cut us a break or to help to enable us to keep doing these programs.”

The Dream Center is also responsible for the ‘Boxes of Love’ project, which gives food and wrapped Christmas gifts to more than 3,000 families every December. Johns says a larger space would help them to grow that program as well.